Light And Dark Forces In Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness

The Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, displays the power of humans and nature. Joseph Conrad says, “ My task is by the power of the written word before all, to make you see.” His words display, the contradiction of humanity and their actions through the manipulation of the light and dark forces. The heart of darkness is ambiguity between humans, their malcontent with themselves, and how they bend to natures will. The manipulation of light and dark is portrayed throughout the novella. “Yes but is like a flash of lightning in the clouds. We live in a flicker- may it last as long as the old hearth keeps rolling! But darkness was here yesterday,”(Conrad, 9) This displays the juxtaposition between light and dark and humans and their surrounding. So often humans see life in black and white but never the shaded gray. However, the might of the ego is miniscule compared to the forces that they have no control love, such as lightning. It looks beautiful however can be deadly due to the amount of light and heat it withholds. It exemplifies that beauty is only skin deep and even the most precious phenomenon’s are lethal. The darkness is within the soul, it is our ego and our ignorance. Plans are set out for

“String of dusty niggers with splay feet arrived and departed; a stream of manufactured goods rubbishy cottons, beads, and brass-wire set into the depths of darkness, and in return came a precious ivory,” ( ). There is in depth imagery of what is seen. Darkness is shown through the niggers and how they looks. They perceive the essence of the human nature of filth, anger, and property. This is constantly displayed though the natives because they are seen as savages. However, it is ones own malcontent that leads to sharp contrast between light and dark. The natives have more than they need and yet the greed of humans makes the white mean take advantage of